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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Sen. <keyword id="11999274" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ron-johnson" source="Orion">Ron Johnson</keyword> has blamed Speaker <keyword id="128640" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="nancy-pelosi" source="Orion">Nancy Pelosi</keyword>, among others, for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.</li><li>Johnson accused Pelosi and others involved in Trump's first impeachment of actions that "weakened Ukraine."</li></ul>Sen. Ron Johnson has blamed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others who played pivotal roles in former President <keyword id="11914386" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="donald-trump" source="Orion">Donald Trump</keyword>'s first impeachment for Russia's invasion of Ukraine."I do think we need to take a look at what all led up to this. I don't think Vladimir Putin would have moved on Ukraine were it not for the weakness displayed ― certainly by the Biden administration, but by the West in general," Johnson <a href="https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1497960912665206794?s=20&amp;t=zBIOsonGEDcQnHi4qea8RA">said</a> in <a href="https://video.foxnews.com/v/6299059724001/">an interview on Fox News Sunday</a>.He claimed that Pelosi, along with Ret. Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman and Rep. <keyword id="11932518" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="adam-schiff" source="Orion">Adam Schiff</keyword>, had "used Ukraine as a pawn in their impeachment travesty." Johnson expressed hope that they would reflect on how they have "weakened Ukraine, weakened the West, weakened America by the divisive <keyword id="11893346" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="politics" source="Orion">politics</keyword> that they play." <a href="https://schiff.house.gov/about/biography">Schiff</a> is chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nancy-pelosi-announce-trump-impeachment-inquiry-2019-9">together with Pelosi,</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/read-adam-schiff-reaction-trump-ukraine-impeachment-call-memo-2021-10">led the impeachment inquiry into Trump's dealings with Ukraine</a>.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/alexander-vindman-trump-vile-man-who-damaged-us-democracy-2021-8"> Vindman</a> is a former Army lieutenant colonel who testified in then-President Donald Trump's first impeachment inquiry. Johnson also laid some of the blame on Russian President Vladimir Putin "and his cronies," referring to "atrocities" committed on the ground in Ukraine. The Wisconsin senator appeared to be <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/02/24/gops-vague-biden-is-weak-attack-about-ukraine/">echoing the belief among some conservatives that Biden's perceived weakness brought about Russia's invasion of Ukraine</a>. Trump on Wednesday <a href="https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1496696062857433094?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1496696954063134720%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es2_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.businessinsider.com%2Ftrump-american-troops-ukraine-fox-news-amphibious-assault-odessa-video-2022-2">slammed the Biden administration, claiming it was their "stupidity" and "incompetence</a>" that led to the invasion. He also claimed that the crisis would never have unfolded if he had been president.GOP figures <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-weakness-russian-aggression-republicans">Sens. Marco Rubio, Lindsey Graham, and Ted Cruz echoed these sentiments.</a>During his presidency, Trump <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-statement-ukraine-crisis-would-never-have-happened-if-president-2022-2">was impeached in 2019 for withholding nearly $400 million in vital military aid from Ukraine</a>. At the time, he stood accused of attempting to strong-arm Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky into launching politically motivated investigations against the Biden family ahead of the 2020 election. While in office, Trump <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-continues-to-rewrite-history-on-his-support-for-ukraine-and-nato-2022-2">also repeatedly bashed NATO</a> and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/14/us/politics/nato-president-trump.html">raised the possibility of the US leaving the alliance.</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/live-updates-russia-ukraine-crisis-2022-2">Insider's live blog of the Russian invasion of Ukraine</a> is covering developments as they happen.

Sen. Ron Johnson is blaming Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others involved in Trump's first impeachment for Russia's invasion of Ukraine

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Ret. Lt. Col. Alex Vindman called Trump a "vile man" who hurt the US more than any other leader in recent history.</li><li>He told the Washington Post that Trump "attempted to launch an insurrection."</li><li>"In fact, he was the one that was trying to steal the election from President Biden, who was lawfully elected," Vindman said.</li></ul>A former lieutenant colonel in the Army who testified in then-President Donald Trump's first impeachment inquiry said this week that Trump is a "vile man" who did more "damage to the United States than any other leader in recent US history."Retired Lt. Col. <keyword id="8271043" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Alexander-Vindman">Alexander Vindman</keyword> made the comment <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bBrJJub4r4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in an interview</a> with the Washington Post Live, where he said Trump still poses "an enormous threat" to the US and democracy as a whole.Vindman previously served as the top Ukraine expert on Trump's National Security Council. He made headlines in 2019 when he recounted in minute detail his firsthand knowledge of Trump's efforts to strongarm the Ukrainian government into launching bogus political investigations targeting Joe Biden and his son, Hunter.During Congress' impeachment inquiry, Vindman testified at length about a July 25, 2019 phone call between Trump and Zelensky that was the linchpin of Trump's first impeachment. Vindman said he was "concerned" by what he heard and that it was "inappropriate" and "improper" for Trump to demand that a foreign government investigate his political opponent, and that Trump's efforts undermined US national security.Vindman and his twin brother, Yevgeny, privately raised concerns about Trump's actions through the proper NSC channels, and both men were sacked from the White House days after Trump's Senate impeachment trial. Vindman, who <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photo-purple-heart-award-alexander-vindman-kicked-out-by-trump-2020-2">served in combat</a> in Iraq, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/impeachment-witness-retires-from-military-over-white-house-bullying-2020-7">retired</a> after in the face of what his lawyer called a White House "campaign of bullying, intimidation and retaliation" that could have affected his Army career.In his interview with the Post on Thursday, Vindman said that he was "a reluctant actor on the political stage" and that he was "drawn in kicking and screaming."He said that he didn't want to participate in "purely partisan engagements, but at the same time, I can make cold, hard calculations about the threat" Trump poses."He continues to pose a key threat based on propagating this lie that the election was stolen," when "in fact he was the one that was trying to steal the election from President Biden, who was lawfully elected," Vindman said. "He attempted to launch an insurrection," he "continues to drive a wedge between the American public, on the left and right, and demonizes the Democratic Party, or anybody that's not a supporter of his."Vindman added: "He's a vile man that has done more damage to the United States than any other leader in recent US history."Trump, for his part, continues insisting the election was "rigged" and stolen from him. In the final months of his presidency, Trump engaged in a prolonged effort to get the Justice Department to announce that the election was plagued with widespread voter fraud, even though the attorney general publicly said there was no evidence to support the claim. In fact, nonpartisan election and cybersecurity experts have said the election was the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2020-election-administration-was-successful-not-a-disaster-2020-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">safest and most secure</a> in US history.

Retired Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman says Trump is 'a vile man' who did 'more damage to the United States than any other leader' in recent history

<ul class="summary-list"><li>US Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the officer who was the subject of President Donald Trump's ire in recent weeks, will not be investigated by the military, despite Trump's belief that the Army would "take a look at that."</li><li>Vindman's associates also appeared confident that the military would not be investigating the impeachment-trial witness, who was subpoenaed before Congress.</li><li>"We have every confidence that the Army and the Department of Defense will regard Lt. Col. Vindman's truthful testimony in response to a legal congressional subpoena as entirely appropriate," a source close to Vindman told the Daily Beast.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>US Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the officer who was the subject of President Donald Trump's ire in recent weeks, will not be investigated by the military, despite Trump's belief that the Army would "take a look at that."Vindman, who worked as a National Security Council aide at the White House, was ousted on Friday, months after his congressional testimony in November. Vindman testified before the House Intelligence Committee about Trump's July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Vindman, who had listened in on the call, testified that Trump's suggestion for Ukraine to investigate his political rival had concerned him, prompting him to raise objections within his chain of command out of a "sense of duty."The call was the center of a whistleblower complaint that led to Trump's impeachment. Following Vindman's testimony, Trump railed against the officer and alleged he had mischaracterized his "perfect" conversation. Vindman was eventually escorted off of the White House grounds and dismissed, in addition to his twin brother, Yevgeny, also a US Army lieutenant colonel, who was an ethics attorney on the NSC.National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien on Tuesday asserted that the Vindmans were not retaliated against and said the agency was merely downsizing its staff.Trump suggested the US military might take disciplinary action against Vindman."That's going to be up to the military - we'll have to see," Trump told reporters on Tuesday. He said he "certainly" imagined the military would "take a look at that.""We sent him on his way to a much different location, and the military can handle him in any way they want," Trump added.Despite Trump's thoughts on the matter, the Army is not currently investigating Vindman, according to what a Defense Department official told <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/army-isnt-investigating-lt-col-alexander-vindman-despite-trumps-tweets">The Daily Beast</a>.Vindman's associates also appeared confident that the military would not be investigating the impeachment-trial witness, who was subpoenaed before Congress."We have every confidence that the Army and the Department of Defense will regard Lt. Col. Vindman's truthful testimony in response to a legal congressional subpoena as entirely appropriate," a source close to Vindman told The Daily Beast.Retired Marine Corps Col. David Lapan, a former Pentagon spokesman and the vice president of communications at the Bipartisan Policy Center, previously told Insider that the Pentagon needed to assure the public that Vindman would not be retaliated against for testifying - by Trump or Vindman's fellow service members."I would recommend the Pentagon that given all the circumstances … to state very clearly that Vindman will be allowed to come back to the Army, that he will get his follow-on assignments and there won't be any retaliation against him," Lapan said."I think that is needed right now to send a strong message to the force that we're not going to allow retaliation for somebody who was subpoenaed," Lapan added.The Department of the Army on Friday confirmed that the Vindmans were reassigned within the Army, but would not provide additional information "out of respect for their privacy."

The US Army is not investigating Lt. Col. Alex Vindman, despite Trump saying he 'certainly' believed it would explore the idea

Andrew Harnik/APLt. Col. Alexander Vindman during impeachment hearings in November 2019.<ul class="summary-list"><li>President Donald Trump on Tuesday suggested the the US military may explore disciplinary action against Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman.</li><li>Vindman is the former National Security Council staffer who testified in Trump's impeachment trial, and lost his role there as a result.</li><li>"That's going to be up to the military, we'll have to see," Trump said to reporters of potential disciplinary action.</li><li>"We sent him on his way to a much different location and the military can handle him in any way they want," Trump said.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>President Donald Trump on Tuesday suggested that the US military may could take disciplinary action against Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the former National Security Council and impeachment witness whom Trump ejected from the National Security Council."That's going to be up to the military, we'll have to see," Trump said to reporters who asked about the possibility of such action. He said he "certainly" imagines the military would "take a look at that."Trump's remarks came after he dismissed Vindman, an Army soldier for 20 years and a Purple Heart recipient, from the National Security Council (NSC) on Friday.Vindman was escorted from the White House after his dismissal, two days after the Republican-controlled Senate acquitted Trump of allegations of abuse-of-power and obstruction of justice in his impeachment trial.Vindman in November told the House Intelligence Committee that Trump's July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was concerning to him, and prompted him to raise objections within his chain of command out of a "sense of duty."The call was the pivotal piece of evidence which led to Trump's impeachment.Trump told reporters on Tuesday that he "obviously wasn't happy with the job [Vindman] did," and that Vindman's account of the conversation was "very different" from his "perfect call.""We sent him on his way to a much different location and the military can handle him in any way they want," Trump said about Vindman's dismissal."General Milley, he can have him," Trump said, referring to chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, US Army Gen. Mark Milley.White House officials claimed that Vindman's dismissal was part of a wider effort to downsize a bloated NSC, an initiative that has been in the works for over a year, according to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-ousts-vindman-and-sondland-punishing-key-impeachment-witnesses-in-post-acquittal-campaign-of-retribution/2020/02/07/dafbdb90-49be-11ea-bdbf-1dfb23249293_story.html">The Washington Post</a>.Skeptics, however, pointed out that Vindman's twin brother, Yevgeny, also a US Army lieutenant colonel, was dismissed from his post as an ethics attorney on the NSC at the same time, despite not testifying in the House's impeachment investigation.Retired Marine Corps Col. David Lapan, a former Pentagon spokesman and the vice president of communications at the Bipartisan Policy Center, said he "absolutely" believed the ouster of Vindman and his brother was retaliation by the White House."It was Lt. Col. Alex Vindman who actually testified under oath in front of Congress," Lapan previously told Insider. "His brother didn't. Yet somehow his brother was also dismissed from his position in the National Security Council.""I would recommend the Pentagon that given all the circumstances … to state very clearly that Vindman will be allowed to come back to the Army, that he will get his follow-on assignments and there won't be any retaliation against him," Lapan added."I think that is needed right now to send a strong message to the force that we're not going to allow retaliation for somebody who was subpoenaed."According to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/07/us/politics/alexander-vindman-gordon-sondland-fired.html">The New York Times</a>, both Vindmans are expected to be transferred to prestigious follow-on assignments within the Army - Alexander Vindman to the Army War College in Pennsylvania, an institution designed to prepare officers for leadership roles, and Yevgeny Vindman to the Army's general counsel. <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-make-submit-your-own-emoji-start-finish-2019-8">62 new emoji and emoji variations were just finalized, including a bubble tea emoji and a transgender flag. Here's how everyday people submit their own emoji.</a></h3>

Trump suggested that the military might take disciplinary action against Lt. Col. Alex Vindman after he was kicked off the NSC

Andrew Harnik/APNational Security Council aide US Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman is sworn in to testify before the House Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, November 19, 2019, during a public impeachment hearing of President Donald Trump's efforts to tie US aid for Ukraine to investigations of his political opponents.<ul class="summary-list"><li>President Donald Trump's early dismissal of US Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman from the National Security Council staff on Friday came as a shock to former senior officials and those who served with the soldier.</li><li>"We worked in a pressure-cooker environment in Moscow where you have to trust everybody," retired US Army Brig. Gen. Peter Zwack, who commanded then-Maj. Vindman for two years, said to Business Insider. "You just have to trust each other, there's no in-between."</li><li>To become a general, Vindman will require a nomination from the president and the approval of the Republican-controlled Senate.</li><li>"In this environment, with the president impugning his character, questioning his integrity, it's incumbent on the military to make clear to everybody in the force that that's not going to be tolerated," retired Marine Corps Col. David Lapan, a former Pentagon spokesman, said.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>President Donald Trump's early dismissal of US Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman from the National Security Council staff on Friday was half-expected based on the <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/06/politics/alexander-vindman-white-house-national-security-council/index.html">reporting</a> from the night prior, but it still came as a shock to former senior officials and those who served with the soldier.Vindman testified nearly three months ago to the House Intelligence Committee that Trump's "inappropriate" phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in July had concerned him, prompting him to raise objections within his chain of command out of a "sense of duty."The lieutenant colonel's account of the conversation between the two heads of state made him a target of political attacks from President Trump and his surrogates. As conservative commentators took to the airwaves to impugn his service and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photo-purple-heart-award-alexander-vindman-kicked-out-by-trump-2020-2">wartime record</a> - even criticizing his decision to wear the Army dress uniform during his testimony - Trump cast aspersions in the weeks that followed."He was very insubordinate, reported contents of my 'perfect' calls incorrectly, &amp; was given a horrendous report by his superior, the man he reported to, who publicly stated that Vindman had problems with judgement, adhering to the chain of command and leaking information," Trump tweeted Saturday, a day after the White House dismissed Vindman.Wikipedia / CC 3.0But one of Vindman's former commanders countered Trump's characterization. Retired US Army Brig. Gen. Peter Zwack, who commanded then-Maj. Vindman from 2012 to 2014, said he wanted to "correct the record" about Vindman."He's obviously very bright, self-made," Zwack told Business Insider in an interview.Zwack first met Vindman in Washington D.C., as they prepared for a government trip to Moscow, Russia. Zwack would continue serving in the region after Vindman completed his tour, and assisted with the US response to the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-has-effectively-invaded-eastern-ukraine-2014-7">Russian invasion of Ukraine</a> and the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mh17-anniversary-how-crash-happened-why-nobody-officially-held-responsible-2019-7">Malaysia Airlines Flight-17</a> shoot down."We worked in a pressure-cooker environment in Moscow where you have to trust everybody," Zwack said. "You just have to trust each other, there's no in-between.""I would trust Alex with my life," Zwack added, referring to Vindman by his first name. "It was literally important - we were in a difficult operational environment as attachés representing the United States to the Russians. We really had to be reliable, we had to be accurate, we had to be diplomats and Alex was good at all of it."Zwack, now a global fellow for the Woodrow Wilson International Center's Kennan Institute, pointed to Vindman's fluency in Russian as an asset during their missions there. Vindman immigrated to the US from the Soviet Union when he was three, and joined the Army after college as an infantry officer; he later transferred to become a foreign area officer whose expertise is Russia and eastern Europe."I've traveled with him deep into Russia on various occasions," Zwack said, adding that Vindman was "always smart, interesting, and had good judgement ... I trusted him completely."The timing and the circumstance of Vindman's dismissal fueled speculation that the move was retaliation by the White House. Vindman was reportedly escorted out of White House grounds just a few months shy of his completion of a two-year tour.Evan Vucci/APPresident Donald Trump holds up a newspaper with the headline that reads "ACQUITTED" during the 68th annual National Prayer Breakfast.<h2>'Toxic environment'</h2>The White House claimed Vindman was one casualty from a wider effort to downsize the NSC, an initiative that has been in the works for over a year, according to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/not-just-chilling-but-frightening-inside-vindmans-ouster-amid-fears-of-further-retaliation-by-trump/2020/02/08/7d5ae666-4a90-11ea-bdbf-1dfb23249293_story.html">The Washington Post</a>. But Vindman's twin brother Yevgeny, also a US Army lieutenant colonel, was dismissed from his post as an ethics attorney on the NSC, despite not testifying in the House's impeachment investigation.Retired Marine Corps Col. David Lapan, a former Pentagon spokesman and the vice president of communications at the <a href="https://bipartisanpolicy.org/">Bipartisan Policy Center</a>, said he "absolutely" believed the ouster of Vindman and his brother Yevgeny was a retaliation from the White House."It was Lt. Col. Alex Vindman who actually testified under oath in front of Congress," Lapan told Business Insider. "His brother didn't. Yet somehow his brother was also dismissed from his position in the National Security Council.""They all serve at the pleasure of the president and he should have people he trusts," Lapan added. "But if the president didn't trust him, then why did this happen today? He testified back in mid-November. So if the president had concerns with his ability to trust Lt. Col. Vindman, why did he wait until after he was acquitted by the Senate to take this action? The argument about trust completely falls apart."Zwack said he believed ouster was "designed to send a message," adding that Vindman's tenure at the NSC may have been a "toxic environment for him" due to the politicization of his testimony.Both of the Vindmans are expected to be transferred to prestigious follow-on assignments within the Army - Alex eventually to the Army War College in Pennsylvania, an institution designed to prepare officers for leadership roles; and Yevgeny to the Army's general counsel, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/07/us/politics/alexander-vindman-gordon-sondland-fired.html">The New York Times</a>.ReutersDefense Secretary Mark Esper.<h2>'Stand tall'</h2>But the chance for further reprisals, from the Defense Department or its commander-in-chief, still looms. Lapan said military reprisals "can take many forms," such as "the type of assignments he gets from now on and it can be future promotions."If Vindman becomes a "full-bird" colonel and chooses to stay in the Army, he will require a nomination from the president and the Republican-controlled Senate's approval to become a general officer."I would recommend the Pentagon that given all the circumstances … to state very clearly that Vindman will be allowed to come back to the Army, that he will get his follow on assignments and there won't be any retaliation against him," Lapan said. "I think that is needed right now to send a strong message to the force that we're not going to allow retaliation for somebody who was subpoenaed.""In this environment, with the president impugning his character, questioning his integrity, it's incumbent on the military to make clear to everybody in the force that that's not going to be tolerated," Lapan added. "You first have to set the standard very clearly, and then you have to enforce it."Zwack said there could be "concern and trepidation" for a career military officer to serve with the NSC in the Trump administration, but added "it's what we do.""The greater service is to our Republic and to the Constitution," Zwack said. "But I think certainly that anybody going up there would be very careful and tread carefully."To his former soldier, Zwack offered a message of encouragement: "Stand tall, stand proud, continue to press forward. Continue to do the right thing." <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pixar-disney-toy-story-4-how-animated-start-finish-2019-7">Pixar's 'Toy Story 4' won the Oscar for best animated feature. Take a closer look at how the movie was animated from start to finish.</a></h3>

'I would trust Alex with my life': Trump's decision to boot Lt. Col. Vindman was 'designed to humiliate,' his former Army commander says

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>President <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-donald-trump-bio-age-family-key-positions-2019-4">Donald Trump</a> and Republicans in Congress have made a big fuss over Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman wearing his military uniform on Capitol Hill during the impeachment inquiry.</li><li>But Vindman is an active duty Army officer and is following regulations by wearing his uniform to impeachment hearings.</li><li>Trump and his GOP allies have zeroed in on the uniform to suggest Vindman is being performative, which he vehemently denies.</li><li>"The uniform I wear today is that of the United States Army," Vindman, an Iraq War combat veteran, said on Tuesday. "We do not serve any political party. We serve the nation."</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-impeachment-hearings-vindman-williams-volker-morrison-testimony-updates-2019-11">Follow along with our live coverage of the hearings here</a>.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>President <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-donald-trump-bio-age-family-key-positions-2019-4">Donald Trump</a> and his Republican allies in Congress have zeroed in on Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman wearing his military uniform to impeachment hearings amid his participation in the inquiry.The implication from the president and congressional Republicans is seemingly that Vindman, an Iraq War combat veteran and active duty Army officer, has used his dress uniform as a prop as part of a partisan performance.But <a href="https://www.army.mil/e2/c/downloads/337951.pdf">Army regulations state that</a> "when an invitation calls for business attire, the appropriate Army uniform is the service or dress uniform." The regulations further state: "All personnel will wear an Army uniform when on duty, unless granted an exception by the commander to wear civilian clothes. "In short, Vindman has been following US military protocol, and it would be a violation of Army regulations for him to show up to congressional hearings out of uniform.And Vindman - the top adviser on Ukraine on the National Security Council - in his testimony on Tuesday vehemently denied his involvement in the inquiry was motivated by partisan leanings.&#xa0;"The uniform I wear today is that of the United States Army," Vindman said. "We do not serve any political party. We serve the nation."GOP members of the House Intelligence Committee zeroed in on Vindman's uniform in Tuesday's hearing.&#xa0;Rep. Chris Stewart of Utah, for example, mentioned that Vindman wore the uniform "even though you wear a suit" to the White House. He also questioned why Vindman earlier in the hearing corrected Rep. Devin Nunes, the ranking member on the committee, on his current rank in the Army.Stewart said: "Do you always insist on civilians calling you by your rank?""I am in uniform wearing my military rank, I just thought it was appropriate to stick with that," Vindman replied.He added: "The attacks I've had in the press and Twitter have kind of eliminated the fact that...or marginalized me as a military officer."<h2>Trump on Vindman: 'I understand now he wears his uniform when he goes in'</h2>Meanwhile, Trump at the White House on Tuesday explicitly mentioned Vindman's attire in comments to reporters.The president said: "I don't know him, I don't know, I don't know - as he says, Lieutenant Colonel. I understand somebody had the misfortune of calling him mister and he corrected him. I never saw the man, I understand now he wears his uniform when he goes in, no, I don't know Vindman at all."&#xa0;Trump also mocked Vindman for wearing his uniform in an interview last week, <a href="https://twitter.com/ddale8/status/1196842927164678144?s=20">stating</a>: "You know him. He shows up in his uniform for the first time ever."The remarks from Stewart and Trump echoed the headline of <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/10/29/nsc-official-alex-vindman-testifies-in-full-military-uniform-despite-not-wearing-one-to-work-every-day/">an article</a> from the far-right <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news">news</keyword> outlet Breitbart. The article, published in late October, is titled: "NSC Official Alex Vindman Testifies in Full Military Uniform, Despite Not Wearing One to Work Every Day."Democratic Rep. Sean Maloney on Tuesday rebuked Republicans for focusing on Vindman's uniform.&#xa0;"It seems like if anybody gets to wear that uniform it's somebody with a breast plate with those commendations," Maloney said in <keyword id="6354810" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="defense">defense</keyword> of Vindman.Vindman was on the July 25 call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that led to a whistleblower complaint that ultimately sparked the impeachment inquiry. The Army officer's first-hand knowledge of the call and expertise on Ukraine have made him a key figure in the scandal that's threatening to upend Trump's presidency.<ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more of Insider's impeachment coverage:</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/impeachment-hearings-schedule-who-is-publicly-testifying-next-2019-11">Here's who's scheduled to testify in this week's impeachment inquiry hearings</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-impeachment-resignation-probabilty-chances-2019" data-read-more-link="" data-e2e-name="read-more-link">Think Trump will get impeached? Gambling sites say the odds are in your favor</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-trump-could-be-impeached-convicted-but-win-reelection-2020-2019-11" data-read-more-link="" data-e2e-name="read-more-link">Trump could be impeached and removed from office but still win reelection in 2020</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/democratic-house-members-who-want-to-impeach-trump-graphic-2019-6" data-read-more-link="" data-e2e-name="read-more-link">Over half of the House of Representatives support the impeachment inquiry against Trump - see all of them here</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-impeachment-major-players-timeline-what-comes-next-2019-11">Everything you need to know about Trump's impeachment process: What's happened, who the players are, and what comes next</a></li></ul><div></div><div></div> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/worlds-top-leaders-travel-private-planes-2019-11">Everything we know about the planes of the world's top leaders, from Trump to Merkel</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

Trump and Republicans zero in on decorated Army officer Alexander Vindman wearing his military uniform to impeachment hearings

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Lt. Col. Alex Vindman, a witness in President Trump's impeachment trial, was kicked out his National Security Council (NSC) role Friday and escorted from the White House.</li><li>At the same time, his brother Yevgeny was also booted from his NSC job, despite not testifying against Trump.</li><li>Alexander Vindman's lawyer said Yevgeny was fired "suddenly and with no explanation, despite two decades of loyal service to this country."</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>The twin brother of impeachment witness Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/impeachment-witness-alexander-vindman-escorted-out-of-the-white-house-2020-2">was fired</a> from the White House on Friday, in an apparent act of retaliation by President Donald Trump.Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman worked as a senior lawyer and ethics official. He was also part of the National Security Council, where his brother served. Unlike his brother, he did not take part in the impeachment process.He was escorted off White House grounds "suddenly and with no explanation, despite over two decades of loyal service to this country" Alexander's lawyer David Pressman said in a statement to Insider's Sonam Sheth."He is deeply disappointed that he will not be able to continue his service at the White House," Pressman continued.Yevgeny was fired the same day as his brother, after Trump told reporters he was "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-considering-ousting-alexander-vindman-impeachment-witness-ukraine-report-2020-2">not happy</a>" with Alexander after he testified against him in the impeachment hearings.White House press secretary <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-eyes-white-house-changes-after-impeachment-acquittal-source-2020-2">Stephanie Grisham</a> told Fox News in an interview Trump is working through "just how horribly he was treated and that maybe people should pay for that."During <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biggest-takeaways-alexander-vindman-impeachment-testimony-2019-11">his congressional testimony</a> in the impeachment hearing, Alexander Vindman detailed his concern at the president's conduct after listening in on a July 25 phone call in which Trump pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for an investigation of political opponent Joe Biden."It was inappropriate; it was improper for the president to request - to demand - an investigation into a political opponent, especially a foreign power where there's at best dubious belief that this would be a completely impartial investigation," he said.PBS Newshour's Yamiche Alcindor <a href="https://twitter.com/Yamiche/status/1225913299344248835">reported</a> that Yevgeny is relocating to the US Army's Office of General Counsel, based at the Pentagon. His brother will also go to the Pentagon before attending war college later this year.<ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/impeachment-witness-alexander-vindman-escorted-out-of-the-white-house-2020-2">Impeachment witness Alexander Vindman and his twin brother were abruptly fired and escorted from the White House as part of Trump's payback</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-considering-ousting-alexander-vindman-impeachment-witness-ukraine-report-2020-2">'I'm not happy with him': Impeachment witness Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman was escorted from the White House on Friday</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/senator-marsha-blackburn-labeled-alexandar-vindman-unpatriotic-vindictive-twitter-trend-2020-1">#marshablackburnistrash is trending on Twitter after Sen. Marsha Blackburn labeled Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman unpatriotic and 'vindictive'</a></li></ul>

Trump also kicked out the twin of impeachment witness Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, apparent retaliation for his brother's testimony

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The career, nonpartisan officials who blew the whistle on President <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-donald-trump-bio-age-family-key-positions-2019-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> and testified against him are <a href="https://time.com/guardians-of-the-year-2019-public-servants/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TIME Magazine's 2019 "Guardians of the Year."</a></li><li>Among those named in the profile are the whistleblower who first sounded the alarm on Trump's efforts to strongarm Ukraine for political gain; former US ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch; the US's chargé d'affaires in Ukraine Bill Taylor; former White House Russia hawk Fiona Hill; the White House's top Ukraine expert Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman; and more.</li><li>"For each, the decision to step forward came at a cost," TIME reported. And after some agreed to share their experiences, "several became emotional when speaking about what they described as the most difficult weeks of their careers."</li><li>The witnesses have gone back to living their lives after testifying, with some notable differences.</li><li>TIME reported that Hill received a flood of letters of support after she testified, while Yovanovitch received a standing ovation after she was recognized at a jazz club in Washington, DC.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>The career, nonpartisan officials who blew the whistle on President <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-donald-trump-bio-age-family-key-positions-2019-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> and testified against him are <a href="https://time.com/guardians-of-the-year-2019-public-servants/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TIME Magazine's 2019 "Guardians of the Year."</a>For more than two months, the magazine said, the president "attacked the public servants as 'traitors' and 'human scum.'" At the US Mission to the United Nations, he suggested the proper response to the whistle-blower's complaint was the punishment historically reserved for 'spies' and for 'treason': the death penalty."Among the individuals who were named were:<ul><li>The whistleblower who first sounded the alarm on Trump's efforts to strongarm Ukraine into delivering political dirt on his rival in exchange for vital military aid and a White House meeting.</li><li>Marie Yovanovitch, the US's former ambassador to Ukraine who was attacked and forced out of her position for refusing to go along with Trump's and his lawyer Rudy Giuliani's scheme.</li><li>Bill Taylor, the career diplomat who replaced Yovanovitch and testified to the extent of the quid pro quo Trump and Giuliani were engaged in.</li><li>Fiona Hill, the National Security Council's former senior director for Russian and Eurasian affairs, who witnessed and reported what she described as the "domestic political errand" that had hijacked US foreign policy.</li><li>Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the NSC's top Ukraine expert who witnessed the July 25 phone call at the center of the impeachment inquiry and reported his concerns up the chain of command.</li><li>David Holmes, a member of Taylor's staff who directly witnessed Trump's effort to dig up political dirt on former Vice President Joe Biden during a phone call with Gordon Sondland, the US's ambassador to the EU, on July 26.</li><li>Mark Sandy, an official at the Office of Management and Budget who struggled to understand why Trump withheld military aid after Congress approved it, and raised concerns about it to his superior.</li></ul>Yovanovitch, Taylor, Hill, and Vindman are featured on the cover.The majority of concerns these officials raised were buried by political forces higher up in the hierarchy. Still, when Congress called on them to testify - with the exception of the whistleblower, who remains anonymous amid concerns for their safety - they stepped forward to break their silence in direct defiance of the White House's orders."For each, the decision to step forward came at a cost," TIME said. "And though each followed the rules and used the proper channels, some have found themselves vilified online, their decades of government service impugned and their background questioned. Several have been assailed publicly by the President."Indeed, Vindman in particular was singled out for his background as an immigrant. The Purple Heart recipient whose family fled the Soviet Union when he was a toddler found himself the target of attacks from Trump's conservative allies who suggested that because Vindman was an immigrant, he was disloyal to the US.Yovanovitch, meanwhile, was attacked by Trump while she was in the middle of testifying. After Yovanovitch told lawmakers that she felt threatened by Trump's comments about her in his July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the president took to Twitter to smear Yovanovitch's decades of foreign service, an action she described as being "very intimidating."Trump has slammed others who testified against him, like Taylor, Sandy, and Hill, as being "Never Trumpers" and "radical unelected bureaucrats," characterizations all of them disputed, while stressing that they were not there to advocate for any particular outcome but as fact witnesses.The whistleblower, without whom Congress and the public never would have learned of Trump's scheme, has been the subject of some of the most virulent attacks from Trump and his loyalists, who have accused the individual of treason and espionage, both of which are punishable by death.TIME noted that initially, none of the individuals named in the article would speak to the news outlet out of fear of retribution and for their and their families' safety.Eventually, after some agreed to share their experiences, "several became emotional when speaking about what they described as the most difficult weeks of their careers," TIME reported. Since the officials testified, Congress has moved ahead with impeachment proceedings against Trump, announcing yesterday that they would charge the president with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.The evidence against Trump, as House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff put it, is "overwhelming and undisputed," and shows that his actions threatened US national security and undermined the country's interests in favor of Trump's own personal benefit.The witnesses, meanwhile, have gone back to living their lives. TIME reported that Taylor, Holmes, and others who testified are in Kyiv trying to steer the ship back on track even as Giuliani continues trying to hijack Ukraine policy. Vindman and Sandy still work at the NSC and OMB, respectively.But there are some notable differences.Yovanovitch and Hill are out of public life but not out of the spotlight. The magazine reported that Hill received a flood of letters of support after she testified, while Yovanovitch received a standing ovation after she was recognized at a jazz club in Washington, DC.

The public servants Trump smeared as 'traitors' and 'human scum' are TIME Magazine's 2019 'Guardians of the Year'

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>Newly-released transcripts of former National Security Council official Dr. Fiona Hill's deposition show the dramatic scene when Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida tried to crash her October 14 hearing.</li><li>Gaetz argued he should be present at the deposition by virtue of his membership of the House Judiciary Committee. But Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff had no patience for his antics.&#xa0;</li><li>"Mr. Gaetz, take your statement to the press. They do you no good here. So please, absent yourself," Schiff admonished.</li><li>A week after Gaetz unsuccessfully tried to crash the Hill deposition, a group of 30 House Republicans barged into a secure committee room where three committees were trying to depose a Pentagon official.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.</a></li></ul>Newly-released transcripts of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/transcript-fiona-hill-testimony-impeachment-inquiry-released-2019-11">former National Security Council official Dr. Fiona Hill's deposition</a> show the dramatic scene when Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida tried to crash the deposition and was booted out of the room by Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff.&#xa0;Hill was deposed as part of the impeachment inquiry into President <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-donald-trump-bio-age-family-key-positions-2019-4">Donald Trump</a> being spearheaded by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.The transcript of Hill's October 14 deposition reveals the acrimonious exchange between Gaetz, who argued he should be present at the deposition by virtue of his membership of the House Judiciary Committee, which is not one of the three committees pursuing the inquiry, and Schiff, who had no patience for his antics.&#xa0;A week after Gaetz unsuccessfully tried to crash the Hill deposition, a group of 30 House Republicans barged into a secure committee room where the Intelligence, Foreign Affairs, and Oversight Committees were attempting to depose another witness, an official from the Pentagon.&#xa0;The group of House Republicans caused a scene in the basement of the Capitol <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/republicans-stormed-closed-impeachment-hearing-but-were-allowed-to-attend-2019-10">by storming and occupying the SCIF</a> (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility) where those three committees were attempting to depose Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Laura Cooper. The GOP lawmakers documented the incursion on social media, and even ordered pizza and other food to the room.The congressmen's stunt was not perceived as a show of resistance, but widely denounced and mocked as both publicity stunt. More importantly, it was seen as one that compromised national security and revealed hypocrisy.Many members of Congress brought their cell phones into the room to live-tweet or live-stream the stampede - a serious breach of protocol that poses major national security and cybersecurity risks.&#xa0;After the incursion, Capitol Police had to sweep the room for electronic devices and the Sergeant at Arms even had to get involved.Read more:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/transcript-fiona-hill-testimony-impeachment-inquiry-released-2019-11">Trump's former top Russia adviser Fiona Hill's impeachment testimony paints damning picture of pressure put on Ukraine</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biggest-takeaways-alexander-vindman-impeachment-testimony-2019-11">Here are the biggest takeaways from Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman's blockbuster testimony against Trump</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/republicans-storming-impeachment-hearing-national-security-2019-10" data-analytics-position="6">Intelligence veterans say Republicans storming a secure congressional facility was a 'thuggish' and 'offensive' stunt that risked national security</a><div></div><div></div> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pepe-frog-meme-hate-symbol-hope-hong-kong-protesters-2019-10">Extremists turned a frog meme into a hate symbol, but Hong Kong protesters revived it as an emblem of hope</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

You Searched For "alex vindman" and got 9 results

Sen. Ron Johnson is blaming Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others involved in Trump's first impeachment for Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Cheryl Teh

Retired Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman says Trump is 'a vile man' who did 'more damage to the United States than any other leader' in recent history

Sonam Sheth

The US Army is not investigating Lt. Col. Alex Vindman, despite Trump saying he 'certainly' believed it would explore the idea

David Choi

Trump suggested that the military might take disciplinary action against Lt. Col. Alex Vindman after he was kicked off the NSC

David Choi

'I would trust Alex with my life': Trump's decision to boot Lt. Col. Vindman was 'designed to humiliate,' his former Army commander says

David Choi

Trump and Republicans zero in on decorated Army officer Alexander Vindman wearing his military uniform to impeachment hearings

John Haltiwanger

Trump also kicked out the twin of impeachment witness Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, apparent retaliation for his brother's testimony

Lauren Frias

The public servants Trump smeared as 'traitors' and 'human scum' are TIME Magazine's 2019 'Guardians of the Year'

Sonam Sheth

A GOP lawmaker crashed Fiona Hill's impeachment deposition and was immediately booted out, newly released transcript shows

Grace Panetta

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